You CAN change the world

"Making your mark on the world is hard. If it were easy, everybody would do it. But it's not. It takes patience, it takes commitment, and it comes with plenty of failure along the way. The real test is not whether you avoid this failure, because you won't. It's whether you let it harden or shame you into inaction, or whether you learn from it; whether you choose to persevere."

-President Barack Obama


Shortly after I graduated and began my first career as a school teacher, I remember having this overwhelming feeling that somehow I could change the world; that I was unstoppable. Of course, that was before I knew about bureaucratic barriers. It didn't take long before my naive optimism was squashed out of me and I resigned to a life of mediocrity. I decided that I was powerless; my pulse slowed down, my fire turned to glowing embers. My new mantra became "Why bother?"

If you are living or ever have lived by that mantra, you understand the ways in which your life suddenly turns gray and you begin to live vicariously through larger than life characters in books or on screens.

It was only a matter of time before my residency in the wasteland of mediocrity became dissatisfying. My hiding place was discovered by my spirit and my first born child. I had no choice but to try again.This time around, I realize that leaving your mark isn't so much about the mark itself as it is about the type of person you have to become and the vision you have to guide you.

Mr. Gandhi was right.To create any significant change in the world first requires a significant change within. The biggest changes often involve overcoming multiple fears. Fear of loss. Fear of rejection. Fear of persecution... and the list goes on and on. In fact, I'm not sure the list is ever exhausted. And you can guarantee, where there is fear, feelings of inadequacy also exist. 

Nobody likes to feel inadequate, but without feeling less than capable we wouldn't need to grow. It is where one of life's many forks in the road exists: grow bigger than you are right now, or shrink so you can remain comfortable–for now. I guess you could also choose to not to choose. I wouldn't recommend that option though, I've tried it and I just ended up standing at the junction complaining because I was uncomfortable. It's not fun. But what I now know is nothing... I repeat; nothing feels more epic than overcoming a fear that has been holding you back from living to your fullest potential or becoming proficient at something you once floundered at.

When I was younger I took the comfortable road. Maybe I didn't believe enough in my vision to fight for it. Or maybe I had realized if I fought for it I might not win... and then what? Perhaps my vision was weak and incomplete. Whatever the reason, I needed my flame to peter out so I could build a better fire. Now, when I feel the slightest loss in momentum,  I either fine tune my vision, change my approach, take a break, regroup... I'm not giving up. Not this time.

As Barack says, making your mark is not easy and it does take patience, commitment and a willingness to fail. It is a true test of your vision. I believe a great vision will always see you through and the feet of the person you are becoming will eventually get you there.